Mike Wood
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mike Wood MP
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Member of Parliament
for Batley and Spen |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Elizabeth Peacock |
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| Majority | 5,788 (14.8%) |
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| Born | 3 March 1946 Crewe, Cheshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Christine O'Leary |
| Alma mater | Leeds Polytechnic |
Michael Roy Wood (born 3 March 1946, in Crewe, Cheshire, England) is a British politician, and Labour Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen, first elected in the 1997 general election. He is a member of the left wing Socialist Campaign Group, and is considered one of the more independently minded Labour MPs.
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[edit] Early life
He is the son of Rowland Wood, a foundry worker, and his wife Laura, a retired cleaner.
He was educated at Nantwich and Acton Grammar School (now called Malbank School & Sixth Form College) on Welsh Row in Nantwich. He went to Salisbury and Wells Theological College (now called Sarum College) in Salisbury, Wiltshire where he gained a Certificate in Theology in 1974. From the University of Leeds he gained a CQSW (Certificate of Qualification in Social Work) in 1981. From Leeds Polytechnic he gained a BA in History and Politics in 1989. He was a probation officer and social worker from 1965-97 before becoming an MP.
[edit] Political life
From 1980 to 1988, he represented his then hometown Cleckheaton as a councillor - during that time he was chairman of the housing committee and the social services committee and was deputy leader of Kirklees Council. In the 1987 election, he contested the Hexham seat.
He joined the Labour Party in 1966, aged twenty. His political interests are described as: "law and order, animal welfare, transport, employment, health and the environment. He is a member of the Parliamentary groups on homelessness, transport, Indo-British affairs, AIDS, animal welfare, MS, ME, disablement, human rights, Kashmir and alcohol misuse."
He has developed a deserved reputation as a dedicated constituency MP and focuses almost all his energy and attention on the needs of his constituents. As a result, this has allowed him to become an independently minded and fiercely conscientious Parliamentarian unafraid to vote against the Government.
On 31 October 2006, Wood was one of 12 Labour MPs to back Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party's call for an inquiry into the Iraq War.[1]
In May 2007 he became parliamentary manager for John McDonnell's campaign to challenge Gordon Brown for the leadership of the Labour Party following Tony Blair's resignation. Source; http://www.john4leader.org.uk/
[edit] Personal life
He married Christine O'Leary in 1999. He has two step-daughters, and a son and daughter from a previous marriage.
He lists his interests as reading, music, sport, ornithology and walking. He was also the founder member of two workers' co-operatives.
Mr Wood is an executive member of the All Party Penal Affairs Group, a patron of the National Association of Market Authorities, a member of the Campaign for State Education and the Working Class Movement Library and a friend of Birzeit University in Palestine.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Labour MPs who rebelled on Iraq". BBC News. 31 October, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6104310.stm. Retrieved on 2006-10-31.
[edit] External links
- Mike Wood official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Mike Wood MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Mike Wood MP
- The Public Whip - Mike Wood MP voting record
- BBC News - Mike Wood BBC profile
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by Elizabeth Peacock |
Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen 1997 – present |
Incumbent |
